  7even Member Username: 7even Post Number: 5 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 64.108.150.253 |
When looking on Wikipedia today I found Detroit's Motto. Which is: "Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus" (Latin for, "We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes")." Does anyone know when was this motto established? It seems to be formed negativly, but it looks like the motto might have predicted the future. | ||
Capnhook Member Username: Capnhook Post Number: 35 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.42.78.142 |
The motto is directed towards the past -- when the city burned to the ground and the Woodward was allowed to create the current layout the woodward plan for detroit which can still be seen between grand circus park and jefferson avenue. | ||
Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup Post Number: 1024 Registered: 06-2004 Posted From: 152.163.100.8 |
after the 1805 fire that wiped out everything except a couple of buildings and the fort | ||
7even Member Username: 7even Post Number: 6 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 64.108.150.253 |
I see Thanks | ||
Detourdetroit Member Username: Detourdetroit Post Number: 206 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.212.40.95 |
with the city in ruin and the help of his latin, Father Gabriel Richard thus spake those fancy-pants words. | ||
7even Member Username: 7even Post Number: 8 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 64.108.150.253 |
yes, very fancy words indeed | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 2113 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 4.229.129.199 |
If he were here today, in Latin he would be saying something like the Mad Magazine - Aesop Brothers cartoon characters once said.... "paintus peelus, roofus leakus, in extremus!" | ||
Karl Member Username: Karl Post Number: 2391 Registered: 09-2005 Posted From: 68.230.22.99 |
MLK said those same words when he visited the city after the riots. | ||
Pacypacy_ Member Username: Pacypacy_ Post Number: 29 Registered: 05-2006 Posted From: 136.181.195.84 |
There was a motto from around the turn of the century that was something like this: "In Detroit, life is worth living" *** Don't remember the words exactly*** | ||
Itsjeff Member Username: Itsjeff Post Number: 5883 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 208.27.111.125 |
My favorite Pewabic tile:  | ||
Neilr Member Username: Neilr Post Number: 255 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 68.60.139.169 |
The motto of the Detroit Public Schools is "Sic iter ad astra." which translates "This way to the stars." | ||
Detourdetroit Member Username: Detourdetroit Post Number: 207 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.212.40.95 |
not a motto, but a symbol... as much as i like the spirit of detroit, i've been wondering about its true meaning. could the beaming golden globe be the promise of the suburbs for mr and mrs and jr mcwhitey? yea, i know what the plaque says those things mean, but i'm beginning to believe it was code for populace about the merits of cutting and running. | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 4134 Registered: 02-2004 Posted From: 141.217.173.162 |
7even, You're right on the money on the Latin Motto in the Detroit's city seal. SPERAMVS MELIORA RESVRGET CINNERIBVS Here's how those intelects from the classics program in those fancy colleges somewhere in the eastern seaboard: SPERAMVS: present active subjuctive 1st principle part plural. It could represent ( let, should, could, us, may we, would,) You may have to think beyond the context of the Latin subjunctive sentences; out of the verb SPERO, meaning I hope. MELIORA: It's comparative plural neuter, it can be used as a nominative or accusative, sometimes it can used as a accusative of a direct object when a verb plays a role as a subject that word came from adjective BONUS BONA BONUM and it can be used as a subsitive. RESVRGET: present active subjuctive 3rd principle part singular. It could represent ( he, she, it, may, could, would, should, let,) You may have to think beyond the context of the sentence it's very hard! It came from the verb RESURGO meaning I lift, I rise. CINNERIBVS: It came from the 3rd conjugation verb CINIS, CINIS meaning ash if it represents a tree or a building, but this Latin word it either in the dative case that implies of, to, for, or it could be used in the ablative case to can represent by,with, from, by means of. It could represent other things like time, accomplaint, means, manner, seperation, agent and time. | ||
Karl Member Username: Karl Post Number: 2392 Registered: 09-2005 Posted From: 68.230.22.99 |
Detourdetroit said: "could the beaming golden globe be the promise of the suburbs for mr and mrs and jr mcwhitey?" Detourdetroit = clueless | ||
Gildas Member Username: Gildas Post Number: 649 Registered: 12-2004 Posted From: 147.240.236.9 |
Sorry Detourdetroit, If your poor logic is any indicator, its more like the beaming golden globe is the promise of city income tax from Mr. and Mrs. McWhitey from the suburbs to support Mr. and Mrs. McBlacky in the city, because the city cannot run itself. But hey what do I know, the business practise of Detroit has done wonders for the burbs. If I has not worked in 40 years, I must work now. Isn't that the definition of insanity: "Doing the same thing over and over again expecting the outcome to change" | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 1532 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 69.218.77.30 |
Itsjeff, I have that tile too. I really enjoy it. The Detroit motto is one of the best and most relevant I have ever heard of. Danny, did you copy and paste or are you a student of Latin like myself? (Message edited by mackinaw on May 17, 2006) | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 4139 Registered: 02-2004 Posted From: 141.217.173.162 |
Neilr "Sic iter ad astra." Does not mean This way to the stars. It means Thus journey to the stars. Here's how those interlects do it: SIC: a conjuction meaning if so, thus. ITER: a nominative singular case meaning journey, a day's march, path. AD: a preposition that can be any Latin accusative case meaning to, toward. ASTRA: a Latin noun plural meaning stars and it takes that preposition AD above. | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 4140 Registered: 02-2004 Posted From: 141.217.173.162 |
No Mackinaw. I have been studying Latin for my classics gen. ed. fine arts requirement in WSU for 2 years now. In a matter of fact to took Latin since I was 10 years old in the elementary school. My favorite, Wheelock's Latin student textbooks and volumes. | ||
Gildas Member Username: Gildas Post Number: 650 Registered: 12-2004 Posted From: 147.240.236.9 |
I think everyone I know started out with Wheelocks's Latin. Even today, all first year Latin students use it. | ||
Eastsidedog Member Username: Eastsidedog Post Number: 359 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 12.47.224.8 |
I think that in Marshall Frederick's statue the golden globe symbolizes God. Can anyone confirm? | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 563 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 207.200.116.139 |
Geez, Danny, you make me feel so stupid.! All I remember out of my HS Latin was that my teacher knew Caesar personally. She was pig ugly, too..........  | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 1534 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 69.218.77.30 |
Awesome Danny. I've had about six years of Latin between high school and college...and still feel like I know very little of it. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 2117 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 4.229.72.235 |
Speaking of Latin..... There's Julius Caesar's famous classic Latin words... but not the ones that they taught you in Latin class, but what REALLY happened.... Vini... V.D.... Vinci.... I came... I caught... I cankered....... | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 1537 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 69.218.77.30 |
'spem' is a favorite Latin word. It is the noun meaning hope which is related to "speramus" in our motto. Say it five times fast. | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 4148 Registered: 02-2004 Posted From: 141.217.173.154 |
Mackinaw Yes Spem means hope in a accusative case. But Speramus comes from the verb Spero meaning I Hope. Most Latin Words take up root forms. Now we need a new Latin Motto for the County Seal for Wayne County. I'm tired looking at those just plain English words. "FREEDOM OF MAN" It should say "HOMO LIBERTATIS" or "VIR LIBERTATIS" or is it "LIBERTAS HOMINIS" I need to check my Wheelock's Latin book to found out. (Message edited by danny on May 18, 2006) | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 4149 Registered: 02-2004 Posted From: 141.217.173.154 |
Gistok, Do you know this Latin plase by Cicero? CAESAR, QVI BONVS VINCENDIS ALIENATIONIBVS EST, CVM CLEOPATRA ADAMAVIT. (Message edited by danny on May 18, 2006) | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 1539 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 69.221.35.117 |
How much you want to bet that the county seal did contain Latin, but that egalitarian working class-hero came in and translated it for the ignorant masses to read? BTW you wrote "man of freedom." You needed 'LIBERTAS HOMINIS.' | ||
Jams Member Username: Jams Post Number: 3325 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.79.102.113 |
Yikes! | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 2526 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.43.15.105 |
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1953 Member Username: 1953 Post Number: 833 Registered: 12-2004 Posted From: 209.104.146.146 |
You auto be in Detroit. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 2119 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 4.229.3.4 |
Sorry Danny, my Latin is limited by what I read in Mad Magazine (ĘSOP Brothers - Twinę Siamesium) and watch on Saturday Night Live! But I can speak (un peu) French.... and fluent German.... "Im Februar des Jahres 1919 landete eine kleine gruppe auf der Insel Principe im Golf von Guinea, West Afrika. Es war eine gruppe von Physikern und Astronomen, die hier in der nähe von Principe einen Sonnenfinsternis zu studieren wollten......" (Ya gotta love Genitive German... spoken only by German/Austrian/Swiss politicians today!) Sorry to threadjack.... (Message edited by Gistok on May 18, 2006) | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 1542 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 69.221.35.117 |
Thanks Mikem. Danny, what's the deal with it being spelled "sperimus" on that old seal? | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 4167 Registered: 02-2004 Posted From: 141.217.173.155 |
Gistok, Ich kann Deutsches auch auch sprechen: | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 4168 Registered: 02-2004 Posted From: 141.217.173.155 |
Mackinaw The Latin word SPERIMVS means " We will rise or We shall rise" in a 1st principle part future active indicative. Those college intellects want to put it there for it sounds good. But other intellects want to make more subjunctive, so they changed the latin word from SPERIMVS to SPERAMVS. meaning ( we, let us would should could, may might, rise. etc..,) | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 4169 Registered: 02-2004 Posted From: 141.217.173.155 |
Well folks! Who knows the Latin motto of the University of Michigan? "ARTES SCIENTIA VERITAS" | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 4170 Registered: 02-2004 Posted From: 141.217.173.155 |
And can anyone know the Latin motto to Dearborn Heights. "DEI GRATIA" | ||
Karl Member Username: Karl Post Number: 2452 Registered: 09-2005 Posted From: 72.25.177.194 |
I made a feeble attempt with an online translator that produced nothing - but it looks like "Thank God" | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 1543 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 69.221.35.117 |
UM = Arts, Sciences, Truth DH= With the goodwill/esteem/kindness of God I noticed that Wayne State's seal currently reads: Industry, Intelligence, Integrity. I wonder when that got translated into English, or if this was a more modern creation? | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 4173 Registered: 02-2004 Posted From: 141.217.173.155 |
Well Mackinaw, If WSU want to use a Latin Motto for Industry, Intelligence, Integrity. They would use. "INDVSTRIA, INTELLIGENTIA, INTEGRITAS." but those 3 Latin mottos has more root form and it's too femine. a 4 year old child can read these words and find out what it means. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 1549 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 69.221.35.117 |
But admit it, it's just classier. If I was still a student there I'd write a letter saying that this is the sort of reform we need if we want to become a top-tier school. j/k | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 2125 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 4.229.72.230 |
Actually "DEI GRATIA" has been seen on Canadian coins for decades, but it has been shortened to "D.G." these days. "ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA"... says "Elizabeth II Queen BY THE GRACE OF GOD". Prior to her ascending the throne in 1952, her father George VI had it on his Canadian coinage as well. And prior to the independence of India in 1947 his coinage said: "GEORGE VI DEI GRATIA REX ET IND IMP" (IMP = IMPERATOR). The last part was Latin for "AND EMPEROR OF INDIA". No I don't know Latin, but I do know the coinage of Canada! (Message edited by Gistok on May 20, 2006) | ||
Hagglerock Member Username: Hagglerock Post Number: 232 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 12.214.243.66 |
From the book "American City, Detroit Architecture 1845-2005". "On the morning of June 11, 1805, John Harvey, the town baker, knocked out his clay pipe on his boot and inadvertently set fire to a pile of straw, thus igniting a blaze that-within three hours- consumed the entire city. Surveying the destruction, Father Gabriel Richard, a priest at Ste. Anne's murmured, 'We hope for better things; it will arise from the ashes'." I love the irony and the current importance of those words today. Packard plant anyone?? (Message edited by hagglerock on May 20, 2006) |
